June 8, 2011

Sex Supplement Improves Life of Cancer Survivors

(Ivanhoe Newswire)--How can a supplement marketed as improving sexual function significantly improve quality of life for female cancer survivors? According to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, the natural nutritional supplement, ArginMax for Women TM, can benefit female cancer survivors in ways beyond the bedroom.

Sexual dysfunction is prevalent in female cancer survivors and thus radiation oncologist at Wake Forest Baptist, Kathryn M. Greven, M.D., set out to see if this supplement could produce the same benefits for cancer survivors. Through her studies, she found that although these women's sexual functions did not improve, their overall quality of life did.

Adult female volunteers had to be at least six months beyond their last active treatment for any kind of cancer. The supplement and placebo pills were provided for the study that included 186 female cancer survivors from across the country. Participants received three capsules of either ArginMax TM or placebo twice a day for 12 weeks and were asked to complete two standardized questionnaires to measure sexual function and quality of life. The study findings revealed an across-the-board boost in measures of quality of life for the patients who were randomized to take ArginMax TM.

"The group taking the supplements experienced significant improvement in overall quality of life, particularly physical well being," Greven was quoted as saying.

She continued to say, "Bothersome symptoms such as lack of energy, pain, nausea, and sleeplessness were all improved, as were measures of functional well-being"¦simply they reported a greater enjoyment of life, without any additional side effects from the supplement."

Edward G. Shaw, M.D., M.A., an oncologist as well as a counselor, is principal investigator for Wake Forest Baptist's Community Clinical Oncology Program Research Base and a co-researcher of the study. He explained that cancer survivors can suffer from persistent inflammation that can continue for years following cancer treatment. He hypothesizes that the ingredients in ArginMax for Women TM may be counteracting this process.

"It is very exciting that we've found something that has the potential to affect and improve quality of life for female cancer survivors"¦We still need to do further work to find an approach that will improve female sexual dysfunction," Greven was quoted saying.